Effect of Genotype, Gender, and Feed Restriction on Slaughter Results and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Slaughter results and meat quality were evaluated in 768 broilers according to genotype (standard breast yield vs. high breast yield), gender, and feeding systems (ad libitum vs. feed restriction from 13 to 21 d of age). Standard-yield chickens had higher carcass weights (2358 g vs. 2319 g; P < 0.001) and hind legs proportion (31.1% vs. 30.6%; P < 0.01), and lower dressing out percentage (73.6% vs. 74.0%; P < 0.01) compared to high-yield birds, besides lower meat L* index (45.3 vs. 46.2; P < 0.05), higher final pH (5.89 vs. 5.85; P < 0.05) and thawing losses (10.5% vs. 9.43%; P < 0.05). Males showed higher carcass weight (+24%), dressing percentage (+0.7%), and hind leg yield (+4%) (P < 0.001) than females. Restricted birds had lower carcass weight (-2%; P < 0.001) and dressing percentage (‑0.3%) (P < 0.05) than those always fed ad libitum. As what concerns meat quality, gender and feeding system affected only meat final pH, lower in ad libitum group than in restricted one and in females than males. In conclusions, slaughter results and carcass traits changed especially with genotype and gender, coherently with slaughter weight whereas meat quality was mostly affected by genotype

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) characterization of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from different rearing systems.

The present study aimed to predict by NIRS the proximate chemical composition and some carcass traits of sea bass coming from 11 farms with different rearing systems (extensive, intensive in land-based basins, sea cages) and located in northern (Friuli, Veneto), central (Tuscany) and southern (Puglia and Sicily) Italy. NIRS analysis of freeze dried sea bass fillets gave fairly good predictions of slaughter weight and fillet yield (R2cv=0.48-0.55), while results for carcass yield were poor. NIRS analysis was highly predictive for the condition factor (R2cv=0.790, SECV=0.09) and for water, ether extract and gross energy showing high correlations (R2cv>0.90) with NIR spectral infor- mation and high accuracy (SECV=0.67%, 0.46% and 0.38 kJ/g for water, ether extract and energy, respectively). Crude protein prediction showed lower performance, even if still good, compared to pre- vious variables (R2cv=0.734, SECV=0.34). The score plot of principal component analysis showed in- tensively-reared sea bass separated from extensively reared fish

Nutritional and Feeding Strategies for Controlling Breast Muscle Myopathy Occurrence in Broiler Chickens: A Survey of the Published Literature

Myopathies of the breast muscle in broiler chickens are a great concern of modern poultry production because of the economic losses associated with the waste of unfit meat, the effects on meat nutritional quality for food and on meat technological quality for processing, and last, but not less important, the effects on animal welfare and health. Largely spread in fast‑growing genotypes, these muscle defects have a low hereditability for which genetic selection for their control seems to be a weak strategy or, at least, a weak long‑term strategy. On the other hand, several investigations have been performed on the physiological mechanisms triggering the onset and the evolution of myopathies, and different non‑genetic strategies have been proposed to control their in vivo occurrence. Thus, the present paper aimed to analyse the scientific literature investigating the effects of feeding and nutritional strategies on the occurrence of myopathies to find out the most tested strategies, the most promising ones and, in perspective, strengths and weakness of the same strategies

Poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in European sea bass from different rearing systems

The chemical composition and the level of seven indicator congeners of PCB (BZ/IUPAC no. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) were determined in 133 specimens of farm-raised European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The fish were caught from different aquaculture rearing systems: extensive fish valley, semi-intensive ponds, sea-cages, and intensive concrete tanks. Fresh fillet chemical composition differed among the rearing systems (fat: 2.9, 7.5, 7.1, and 9.4%; P<0.001). Total concentrations of indicator congeners were below the EU limit (200ng/g fat) for meat, poultry and eggs, being the lowest in extensively-reared sea bass (75ng/g fat), intermediate in sea bass from semi-intensive ponds (119) and sea cages (116), and the highest in intensively-reared fish (133) (P<0.001). Similarly, PCB concentrations in fresh fillets were 2,438, 10,116, 8,491, and 12,952pg/g in the four systems (P<0.001). The congener 153 was the most represented in all rearing systems. TEQ concentrations for the dioxin-like congener no. 118 were 50 to 200 times lower than the maximum admitted value. Total concentration of indicator congeners of PCB was poorly correlated with fish slaughter weight (R2=0.17), while highly correlated with fat concentration of fish (R2=0.75)

Behaviour and reactivity of female and male rabbits housed in collective pens: effects of floor type and stocking density at different ages

[EN] At 33 d of age, 376 crossbred rabbits of both genders were housed in sex-mixed groups in 16 open-top collective pens (1.68 m2) in a factorial arrangement, with 2 types of flooring (wooden slats vs. plastic grid, W vs. P) and 2 stocking densities (12 vs. 16 animals/m2). Behavioural recordings (time budget), reactivity towards unknown humans (tonic immobility and human approach tests) and environment (open-field and novel object tests) and hair and faeces sampling for corticosterone analysis were performed during the 8th wk of age and at a pre-slaughter age (during the 11-12th wk of age). The effects of age and gender were also taken into account. Rabbits housed in W pens rested more in the crouched position (41.4 vs. 35.5% of the observed time) (P<0.001) and showed lower allogrooming (P=0.05), running (P<0.01) and biting pen elements (P=0.01) than those housed in P pens. The percentage of rabbits that interacted with humans during the human approach test (24.0 vs. 48.1% of rabbits in the pen; P<0.01) and number of rabbit-object contacts during the novel object test (on av. 50.4 vs. 87.2; P<0.001) were lower for rabbits in W pens compared to those in P pens. During the open-field test, the percentage of rabbits that spontaneously entered the arena was lower for rabbits from W pens than for those from P pens (60.0 vs. 72.5%; P<0.05). Finally, the hair corticosterone level was higher in the former than in the latter rabbits (on av. 14.0 vs. 12.5 ng/g; P<0.05). As the stocking density increased, only the time spent resting increased (66.7 to 69.1% observed time; P<0.01), and the percentage of rabbits that spontaneously entered the arena during the open-field test decreased (73.8 to 58.8%; P<0.01). When age increased, the rabbits were less active at the reactivity tests and interacted less with an unknown object or person. Differences according to gender were weak. In conclusion, the wooden slatted floor challenged the welfare of growing rabbits as it constrained their movement, conditioned their reactivity towards a new environment, and increased their stress level, whereas the increase in stocking density did not impair rabbit welfare.This work was supported by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission [grant number 600376, CUP C91J13001170006]. The authors wish to thank Dr. Andrea Zuffellato (AIA S.p.A., Italy) for his technical support and assistance.Trocino, A.; Filiou, E.; Zomeño, C.; Birolo, M.; Bertotto, D.; Xiccato, G. (2018). Behaviour and reactivity of female and male rabbits housed in collective pens: effects of floor type and stocking density at different ages. World Rabbit Science. 26(2):135-147. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2018.7747SWORD13514726

Effects of floor type, stocking density, slaughter age and gender on productive and qualitative traits of rabbits reared in collective pens

At 34 d of age, 376 crossbred rabbits of both sexes were housed in 16 open-top collective pens (1.68 m2) according to a 2 72 72 factorial arrangement with two types of pen floor (wooden v. plastic slatted), two stocking densities (12 v. 16 animals/m2), and two slaughter ages (76 v. 83 d). The rabbits were examined for growth performance, slaughter results, and meat quality. The effect of gender was also examined. The percentage of rabbits with wounds due to aggression varied with stocking density (8.2% v. 26.2% for 12 v. 16 animals/m2; P 64 0.001), slaughter age (15.0% v. 22.0% at 76 v. 83 d; P 64 0.10), and gender (11.3% v. 25.8% for females v. males; P 64 0.001). Rearing rabbits on a plastic rather than a wooden slatted floor promoted slaughter weight (2795 g v. 2567 g; P 64 0.001), dressing percentage (61.4% v. 60.9%; P 64 0.01), dissectible fat (2.4% v. 2.0%; P 64 0.01), and hind leg muscle-to-bone ratio (5.81 v. 5.35; P 64 0.001). Increased stocking density impaired daily growth (38.5 g/d v. 35.9 g/d; P 64 0.05) and feed intake (140 g/d v. 134 g/d; P 64 0.01) during the second period (55 d to slaughter) and decreased slaughter weight (2725 g v. 2637 g; P 64 0.01). At the older slaughter age, the feed conversion ratio was impaired (2.98 v. 3.18; P 64 0.001); the slaughter weight (2574 g v. 2788 g; P 64 0.001), dissectible fat (2.0% v. 2.4%; P 64 0.01), and hind leg muscle to bone ratio (5.41 v. 5.75; P 64 0.01) increased; meat thawing losses, cooking losses, and shear force decreased (P 64 0.05). The main differences between the females and males were found in the slaughter for transport losses (2.6% v. 2.2%; P 64 0.01) and l. lumborum proportions (13.0% v. 12.4%; P 64 0.01). In conclusion, the growth performance of pen-housed rabbits was largely determined by the type of floor and less affected by stocking density. The meat quality depended on ontogenetic factors, such as slaughter age and gender, and not on housing conditions. The differences in the percentages of wounded animals due to experimental factors deserve further investigation from the perspective of animal welfare issues

CHLORELLA VULGARIS MICROALGAE AS A SUSTAINABLE FEED INGREDIENT EFFECTS ON MEAT QUALITY AND MYOPATHY OCCURRENCE IN BROILER CHICKENS

CHLORELLA VULGARIS MICROALGAE AS A SUSTAINABLE FEED INGREDIENT: EFFECTS ON MEAT QUALITY AND MYOPATHY OCCURRENCE IN BROILER CHICKENS is a conference paper presented at the 69th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST) held in Padova (Italy) from the 20th to the 25th of August 2023. The present study found that dietary Chlorella vulgaris microalgae are a useful strategy to manipulate breast meat color, while higher inclusion rates in diets improve the n-3 fatty acids content in breast meat. The impact of C. vulgaris on myopathies in broilers is not evident, but some differences in the gross examination in WB rate between birds fed the control diet and the diet with 6% m highlight the need for further investigation